Proverbs 20
New King James Version
Wine Is a Mocker
20 Wine (A)is a mocker,
Strong drink is a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2 The [a]wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
3 (B)It is honorable for a man to stop striving,
Since any fool can start a quarrel.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Most men will proclaim each his own [b]goodness,
But who can find a faithful man?
8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment
Scatters all evil with his eyes.
9 (G)Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin”?
10 (H)Diverse weights and diverse measures,
They are both alike, an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child is (I)known by his deeds,
Whether what he does is pure and right.
12 (J)The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
The Lord has made them both.
13 (K)Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.
14 “It is [c]good for nothing,” cries the buyer;
But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.
15 There is gold and a multitude of rubies,
But (L)the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 (M)Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress.
17 (N)Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
19 (Q)He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one (R)who flatters with his lips.
23 Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord,
And dishonest scales are not good.
24 A man’s steps are of the Lord;
How then can a man understand his own way?
25 It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy,
And afterward to reconsider his vows.
26 (Y)A wise king sifts out the wicked,
And brings the threshing wheel over them.
29 The glory of young men is their strength,
And (AB)the splendor of old men is their gray head.
30 Blows that hurt cleanse away evil,
As do stripes the [g]inner depths of the heart.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 20:2 Lit. fear or terror, produced by the king’s wrath
- Proverbs 20:6 Lit. mercy
- Proverbs 20:14 Lit. evil, evil
- Proverbs 20:22 repay
- Proverbs 20:27 Lit. rooms of the belly
- Proverbs 20:28 mercy
- Proverbs 20:30 Lit. rooms of the belly
Proverbs 20
21st Century King James Version
20 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is enraging; and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
2 The wrath of a king is as the roaring of a lion; whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.
3 It is an honor for a man to cease from strife, but every fool will be meddling.
4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest and have nothing.
5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out.
6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness; but a faithful man, who can find?
7 The just man walketh in his integrity; his children are blessed after him.
8 A king that sitteth on the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes.
9 Who can say, “I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin”?
10 Differing weights and differing measures—both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure and whether it be right.
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.
13 Love not sleep lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.
14 “It is nought, it is worthless!” saith the buyer; but when he has gone his way, then he boasteth.
15 There is gold and a multitude of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger; and take a pledge of him for a strange woman.
17 The bread of deceit is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.
18 Every purpose is established by counsel, but only with good advice make war.
19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets; therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.
20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily in the beginning, but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22 Say thou not, “I will recompense evil”; but wait on the Lord, and He shall save thee.
23 Differing weights are an abomination unto the Lord, and a false balance is not good.
24 Man’s goings are of the Lord; how then can a man understand his own way?
25 It is a snare for a man to devour that which is holy, and after vows to make inquiry.
26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and driveth the wheel over them.
27 The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of his being.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king, and his throne is upheld by mercy.
29 The glory of young men is their strength, and the beauty of old men is the gray head.
30 The bruising of a wound cleanseth away evil—so also do stripes the inward parts of the being.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.